Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Portugal to a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic.

Portugal went ahead through Deco in the eighth minute. Ronaldo played a neat one-two with Nuno Gomes and, after Petr Cech had initially done well to save at the feet of the Manchester United winger, Deco scrambled home from close range.

Chelsea keeper Cech could do nothing in the 63rd minute when Ronaldo smashed Deco’s cross low into the far corner with a crisp first-time effort from inside the box.

Czech Republic poured forward in the dying moments but they were a dealt a sucker punch in the first minute of extra time when a long punt upfield released Ronaldo, who closed on Cech and simply squared for Ricardo Quaresma to slide home into an empty net.

Portugal opened their Euro 2008 quest with a 2-0 victory against Turkey. Ronaldo didn’t score but he commanded his presence throughout the game, and was heavily involved in setting up the second goal in injury time.

Portugal controlled the game right from kickoff, but couldn’t find ways to send the ball into the net. Their closest attempt in first half came from Ronaldo from a brilliant freekick, which forced an equally brilliant save from Turkish goalie Volkan Demirel.

The Portuguese had to wait until the hour mark to find the net through defender Pepe, after a neat one-two with captain Nuno Gomes. Gomes had a decent game as well; he was unlucky to hit the post twice… or else it would be a much easier game for Portugal.

The man-of-the-match probably belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo, who donned the captain armband following Gomes’s substitution.

Ronaldo’s pace and dazzling runs tormented the Turkish defence, which often resourced to having two or three players marking him and leaving a hole in the centre defence… and it provided the chance for Portugal’s second goal.

Ronaldo took the ball and ran from the left, and drawn three Turkish players into the chase… he managed to squeezed the ball into the box for Moutinho, who unselfishly laid the ball to the unmarked Raul Meireles to seal the match.